EP2058834B1 - Spherical aberration correction decelerating lens, spherical aberration correction lens system, electron spectroscopy device, and photoelectron microscope - Google Patents

Spherical aberration correction decelerating lens, spherical aberration correction lens system, electron spectroscopy device, and photoelectron microscope Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2058834B1
EP2058834B1 EP07791379.6A EP07791379A EP2058834B1 EP 2058834 B1 EP2058834 B1 EP 2058834B1 EP 07791379 A EP07791379 A EP 07791379A EP 2058834 B1 EP2058834 B1 EP 2058834B1
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Prior art keywords
lens
spherical aberration
mesh
aberration correction
electrode
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German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
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EP2058834A1 (en
EP2058834A4 (en
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Hiroyuki Matsuda
Hiroshi Daimon
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Nara Institute of Science and Technology NUC
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Nara Institute of Science and Technology NUC
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
    • H01J37/02—Details
    • H01J37/04—Arrangements of electrodes and associated parts for generating or controlling the discharge, e.g. electron-optical arrangement or ion-optical arrangement
    • H01J37/10—Lenses
    • H01J37/12—Lenses electrostatic
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
    • H01J37/252—Tubes for spot-analysing by electron or ion beams; Microanalysers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J2237/00—Discharge tubes exposing object to beam, e.g. for analysis treatment, etching, imaging
    • H01J2237/05—Arrangements for energy or mass analysis
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J2237/00—Discharge tubes exposing object to beam, e.g. for analysis treatment, etching, imaging
    • H01J2237/153—Correcting image defects, e.g. stigmators
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J2237/00—Discharge tubes exposing object to beam, e.g. for analysis treatment, etching, imaging
    • H01J2237/153—Correcting image defects, e.g. stigmators
    • H01J2237/1532—Astigmatism
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J2237/00—Discharge tubes exposing object to beam, e.g. for analysis treatment, etching, imaging
    • H01J2237/244—Detection characterized by the detecting means
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J2237/00—Discharge tubes exposing object to beam, e.g. for analysis treatment, etching, imaging
    • H01J2237/25—Tubes for localised analysis using electron or ion beams
    • H01J2237/2505—Tubes for localised analysis using electron or ion beams characterised by their application
    • H01J2237/2511—Auger spectrometers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J2237/00—Discharge tubes exposing object to beam, e.g. for analysis treatment, etching, imaging
    • H01J2237/25—Tubes for localised analysis using electron or ion beams
    • H01J2237/2505—Tubes for localised analysis using electron or ion beams characterised by their application
    • H01J2237/2538—Low energy electron microscopy [LEEM]

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an input lens of (i) an electron spectrometer such as XPS (photoelectron spectrometer) and AES (Auger electron spectrometer) and (ii) PEEM (photoelectron microscope).
  • an electron spectrometer such as XPS (photoelectron spectrometer) and AES (Auger electron spectrometer)
  • PEEM photoelectron microscope
  • an electrostatic lens referred to as "input lens” is used for an input portion of an energy analyzer (represented by an electrostatic hemispherical analyzer).
  • the input lens first, accepts electrons emitted from a sample as much as possible and decelerates the electrons so that the decelerated electrons are incident on an analyzer, thereby enhancing an energy resolution ability.
  • a function for limiting an electron acceptance angle in a sample surface is rendered to the electron spectrometer.
  • its sensitivity is determined depending on a divergence angle (a solid angle) of electrons that the input lens accepts from the sample.
  • an energy analyzer having an imaging function images acceptance angular distribution so as to simultaneously measure angular dependencies of photoelectron energy peaks. In this case, it is possible to perform simultaneous measurement of acceptance angular dependencies of electrons from substantially parallel to perpendicular to a sample surface as long as the acceptance angle is over 90° ( ⁇ 45°), so that it is possible to efficiently measure depth dependencies of elements.
  • an ordinary electrostatic lens cannot converge a beam whose divergence angle is large into a single point. Specifically, a limit of its acceptance angle is around 30° ( ⁇ 15°).
  • the foil electrode In case of using the foil electrode, it is necessary to set electron energy high to some extent so that an electron beam passes through the foil electrode.
  • the electron energy can be set high in a transmission electron microscope or the like, but such setting is hard to realize in an electron spectrometer which measures electrons having at most several keV energy. Further, it is necessary to make the foil electrode sufficiently thin so as to prevent scattering and absorption of electrons, which results in a problem that it is difficult to form the foil electrode into a curved shape.
  • a flat foil electrode is capable of eliminating third-order (lowest-order) spherical aberration, but it is difficult for the flat foil electrode to eliminate higher-order spherical aberration.
  • the angle of acceptance of an electron beam is narrowed to an order of milliradian to obtain a high resolution ability, so that correction of the third-order spherical aberration is enough.
  • the foil electrode fails to effectively correct its spherical aberration.
  • Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 1 describe an electron lens including a conventional mesh electrode.
  • Patent Document 1 describes a spherical aberration correction electrostatic lens including a spherical mesh.
  • the spherical aberration correction electrostatic lens includes: a spherical mesh; and coaxial multistage-type (four or more staged) electrodes EL1 to ELn, wherein a decelerating field is formed in the mesh and an electrode provided in a periphery of the mesh, and an accelerating convergence field is formed in electrodes on the side of an image surface (including the n-th electrode ELn).
  • the spherical aberration electrostatic lens of Fig. 19 is an einzel-type mesh lens including a mesh electrode and a plurality of electrodes.
  • the einzel-type mesh lens is such that a combination of a decelerating field in the periphery of the mesh electrode and a subsequent accelerating convergence field converges a beam whose divergence angle is large. Electrons entering the lens are decelerated but are soon accelerated, so that the electrons have at the exit the same energy as that at the entrance. In the spherical aberration electrostatic lens arranged in this manner, a beam acceptance angle is increased to around ⁇ 30°.
  • Non-Patent Document 1 describes, as illustrated in Fig. 20(a) , an einzel-type mesh lens including a spheroidal mesh, whose central axis coincides with an optical axis, instead of the spherical mesh used in the spherical aberration correction electrostatic lens of Patent Document 1.
  • the einzel-type mesh lens described in Non-Patent Document 1 is configured as follows. As illustrated in Fig.
  • US4358680 relates to an electron spectrometer including a hemispherical analyzer and a multi-element optical lens system.
  • the lens system has, at its entrance, two spaced apart mesh elements which are concave toward the sample, for reducing the lens aberrations, and switching means operable to change the potentials on the lens elements.
  • EP1170778 relates to an instrument for analysis of a specimen surface comprising an electron gun for producing a focused electron beam, an anode with an anode surface disposed to receive the focused electron beam so as to generate x-rays from an anode spot on the anode surface, rastering means for rastering the focused electron beam over the anode surface, thereby scanning the anode spot over the anode surface, focusing means receptive of at least a portion of the x-rays from the scanning anode spot for focusing an energy band of x-rays of predetermined energy as an x-ray spot on a pixel area scanning correspondingly over the specimen surface, such that photoelectrons are emitted from the scanning pixel area with electron energies characteristic of chemical species at the pixel area.
  • Non-Patent Document 1 Physical Review E (Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics), American Physical Society, College Park, MD, US]
  • Patent Document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 111199/1996 (Tokukaihei 08-111199) (Publication date: April 30, 1996 )
  • Non-Patent Document 1 PHYSICAL REVIEW E71, 066503 (2005) (Publication date: June 28, 2005)
  • a spherical or spheroidal mesh is used to constitute an electron lens, so that the electron lens realizes a large acceptance angle such as around ⁇ 60°.
  • the electron lens is expected not only to realize a large acceptance angle but also to be capable of measuring a beam having high energy over several hundreds eV and having a large divergence angle. If the electron lens can measure a beam having high energy over several hundreds eV and having a large divergence angle, it is possible to perform the atomic arrangement analysis such as photoelectronic diffraction and photoelectronic holography.
  • a voltage which is 100 times as high as a voltage required in converging a beam having low energy such as around 100 eV has to be used to converge the foregoing beam at an image plane of the subsequent stage lens. This raises a withstand-voltage problem in the electron lens, so that it is difficult to converge the beam.
  • the present invention was made in view of the foregoing problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a spherical aberration correction decelerating lens, a spherical aberration correction lens system, an electron spectrometer, and a photoelectron microscope, each of which converges, at an image plane, a beam emitted from a sample and having high energy and a large divergence angle.
  • a spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention is as set out in claim 1. Further aspects of the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens are set out in claims 2- 8.
  • an intentionally set voltage is applied from the external power supply to at least three electrodes each of which is constituted of a surface of a solid of revolution whose central axis coincides with an optical axis, so that each electrode can decelerate a beam emitted from a predetermined object plane position and can form a decelerating convergent field for correcting a spherical aberration occurring in the beam.
  • the decelerating convergent field formed by each electrode can decelerate the beam.
  • the mesh in the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens as set out in claim 1 has a concaved shape opposite to an object plane and which is constituted of a surface of a solid of revolution so that a central axis of the concaved shape coincides with the optical axis.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention is applied to an electron spectrometer or a photoelectron microscope, it is possible to allow a beam having high energy and a large divergence angle to be incident thereon, so that it is possible to greatly enhance sensitivities and functions of the electron spectrometer and the photoelectron microscope.
  • a spherical aberration correction lens system of the present invention is as set out in claim 9.
  • an electron lens is accompanied by a positive spherical aberration regardless of whether the electron lens is an electrostatic type or a magnetic field type.
  • a resultant image is formed at a position closer to the object plane.
  • the resultant image is more blurred.
  • a lens bringing about a negative spherical aberration is used as the other lens to appropriately give the negative spherical aberration so that the lens cancels the positive spherical aberration of the electron lens.
  • the spherical aberration is cancelled at the image plane of the second lens.
  • the first lens can accept the beam from the object plane so that an acceptance angle of the beam is within the range of ⁇ 50° to ⁇ 60°.
  • an appropriate negative spherical aberration in the second lens so as to correct a positive spherical aberration occurring in the first lens, it is possible to cancel, on the image plane of the second lens, the large positive spherical aberration occurring in the first lens.
  • the first lens in case of using as the first lens a lens having a mesh and bringing about a positive spherical aberration and using as the second lens a lens accompanied by a negative spherical aberration (e.g., a multipolar lens), the first lens can accept the beam from the object plane so that an acceptance angle of the beam is within a range from ⁇ 50° to ⁇ 60°. Further, by giving an appropriate positive spherical aberration in the first lens so as to correct a negative spherical aberration occurring in the second lens, it is possible to cancel, on the image plane of the second lens, the negative spherical aberration occurring in the first lens.
  • the spherical aberration correction lens system of the present invention can cancel, on the image plane of the subsequent stage lens, the spherical aberration of the beam emitted from the object plane.
  • the spherical aberration correction lens system is applied to an electron spectrometer or a photoelectron microscope, spatial resolution can be improved compared with the case where the spherical aberration is corrected by using only the previous stage lens.
  • An electron spectrometer of the present invention is as described in claim 10.
  • a photoelectron microscope of the present invention is as described in claim 11.
  • a spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention corrects a spherical aberration occurring in an electron beam or an ion beam (hereinafter, referred to as "beam").
  • Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view schematically illustrating a configuration of an example of the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens according to the present invention. Note that, a curve indicated by an arrow of Fig. 1 shows a trajectory of a beam emitted from a sample.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present embodiment includes a mesh M and a first electrode EL1 to an n-th electrode ELn.
  • the first electrode EL1 to the n-th electrode ELn decelerate and then accelerate the beam emitted from the object plane P0, thereby forming an accelerating convergence field for performing convergence at the image plane P1.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present embodiment does not form the accelerating convergence field but forms a decelerating convergence field for converging the beam, emitted from the object plane P0, onto the image plane P1 while decelerating the beam.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens can be favorably used as an input lens of an electron spectrometer and an objective lens of a photoelectron microscope.
  • the mesh M has a concaved shape opposite to the object plane P0 on which a sample is placed and is constituted of a spheroidal surface whose central axis coincides with an optical axis of the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens. Further, the mesh M is integrally provided on the first electrode EL1. Note that, in the present embodiment, the mesh M is constituted of the spheroidal surface whose central axis coincides with the optical axis. In an example merely for understanding the invention, the mesh M may be constituted of a spherical surface whose central axis coincides with the optical axis.
  • the configuration in which the mesh M is constituted of the spheroidal surface whose central axis coincides with the optical axis more surely increases an acceptance angle of the beam from the object plane, that is, the beam emitted from the sample, to around ⁇ 60°, than the configuration in which the mesh M is constituted of the spherical surface whose central axis coincides with the optical axis.
  • the mesh M is constituted of the spheroidal surface whose central axis coincides with the optical axis.
  • the mesh M is integrally provided on the first electrode EL1, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration and the mesh M may be provided separately from the first electrode EL1.
  • Each of the first electrode EL1 to n-th electrode ELn is constituted of a surface of a solid of revolution whose central axis coincides with the optical axis of the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present embodiment and has a concentric surface forming a decelerating convergence field.
  • the first electrode EL1 to n-th electrode ELn are disposed in an order starting from the mesh M along the optical axis.
  • An intentionally set voltage is applied from an external power supply to each electrode. Note that, since the mesh M is integrally provided on the first electrode EL1, the same voltage is applied to the mesh M as a voltage applied to the first electrode EL1. Further, in case where the mesh M is provided separately from the first electrode EL1, an intentionally set voltage is applied to the mesh M and another intentionally set voltage is applied to the first electrode EL1.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens As a larger number of electrodes are provided, a convergence ability of the lens is more enhanced and a permissible error in the production steps of the lens further increases.
  • the larger number of electrodes results in troublesome production steps of the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens.
  • the number of electrodes is within a range from 3 to 10.
  • Fig. 2(a) is a cross sectional view (an acceptance angle is illustrated as "50° ⁇ 2, 100°” in this figure) illustrating a configuration of a spherical aberration correction decelerating lens whose acceptance angle is ⁇ 50°.
  • Fig. 2(b) is a cross sectional view (an acceptance angle is illustrated as "60° ⁇ 2, 120°” in this figure) illustrating a configuration of a spherical aberration correction decelerating lens whose acceptance angle is ⁇ 60°. Note that, in these figures, each dotted line indicates potential distribution and each continuous line indicates an electron trajectory.
  • the conventional decelerating lens brings about more significant problem in spherical aberration. Unless the beam acceptance angle is increased, it is impossible to converge the beam. Thus, the conventional decelerating lens cannot be favorably used as an input lens of an electron spectrometer or an objective lens of a photoelectron microscope.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present embodiment is configured so that only a decelerating convergence field is formed by each electrode but the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens can converge a beam having a large divergence angle.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present embodiment includes three electrodes, i.e., the first electrode EL1, the second electrode EL2, and a third electrode EL3. Only the decelerating convergence field is formed by each electrode, but a beam which is incident thereon with a divergence angle of ⁇ 50° or ⁇ 60° can be converged onto the image plane P1.
  • the arrangement of the three electrodes i.e., the first electrode EL1, the second electrode EL2, and the third electrode EL3, is important.
  • the arrangement of the electrodes may be altered variously, but it is preferable that the electrodes are arranged with suitable distances from an outermost trajectory of the beam so as not to prevent the beam trajectory and so as to effectively give a spherical aberration correction effect to the beam.
  • Fig. 3 illustrates essential portions of the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of Fig. 2(a)
  • Fig. 4 illustrates essential portions of the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of Fig. 2(b)
  • each electrode is inclined with respect to an axis parallel to the optical axis by 55° in Fig. 2(a) and each electrode is inclined with respect to the axis parallel to the optical axis by 65° in Fig. 2(b) .
  • the following four values are important in configuring the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present embodiment in which only the decelerating convergence field is formed and a beam which is incident thereon with a large divergence angle is converged onto the image plane P1.
  • Fig. 3 illustrates essential portions of the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of Fig. 2(a) . Note that, this shows a case where a distance from the object plane P0 to the image plane P1 is 500 mm.
  • the beam is decelerated down to around 180eV at an exit of the lens.
  • the beam is decelerated down to around 194eV at an exit of the lens.
  • the blur of the beam on the image plane P1 is below around 0.1 mm in any case.
  • the shape of the mesh M cannot completely eliminate the spherical aberration as long as the shape is exactly the spheroidal surface, which may result in occurrence of the blur on the image plane P1.
  • the spheroidal surface of the mesh M is further adjusted finely.
  • the fine adjustment of the shape of the mesh M can be performed by defining a variation ⁇ R( ⁇ ) from an ellipsoid of the shape of the mesh M having been finely adjusted on the basis of the following equation and optimizing parameters a0, a1 to an or parameters c1 to cn, p1 to pn, and q1 to qn so that the spherical aberration is minimized.
  • the variation ⁇ R( ⁇ ) is an amount indicative of how the finely adjusted mesh shape varies with respect to a distance R from the origin O to the ellipsoid in case where a polar coordinate centering the origin O on the object plane is expressed as (R, ⁇ ).
  • the adjustment amount ⁇ R is expressed as a total of at least three functions with the " ⁇ " being a variable.
  • the values of the four items (1) to (4) are suitably adjusted with a change in the number of electrodes provided on the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens or with a change in the energy of the beam emitted from the sample. Further, all of the values of the four items (1) to (4) do not have to be adjusted, and it is possible to correct the spherical aberration by adjusting at least one of the values of the four items (1) to (4). However, it is preferable to simultaneously adjust a plurality of elements in realizing high convergence. Also in the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens illustrated in each of Fig. 2(a) and Fig.
  • the values of the items (1) to (4) are not limited to the aforementioned numerical values, and each of the values has a favorable range. Each value is adjusted within the favorable range, thereby converging the beam emitted from the object plane P0 onto the image plane P1.
  • the following describes the favorable range of each of the values of the four items which is applied in case where the distance from the object plane P0 to the image plane P1 is 500 mm and energy of the beam emitted from the sample is 1keV in the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present embodiment which includes the first electrode EL1, the second electrode EL2, and the third electrode EL3, and whose acceptance angle is ⁇ 50°.
  • Fig. 5 is a graph illustrating a relationship between the ratio of a major axis to a minor axis in the mesh M and the spherical aberration. As illustrated in Fig.
  • the spherical aberration is minimized.
  • the spherical aberration is around 0.4 mm or less.
  • the following describes the values of the item (2), i.e., the length L1 of the first electrode EL1 and the length L2 of the second electrode EL2.
  • the length L1 of the first electrode EL1 is within a range from around 1 mm to around 10 mm and the length L2 of the second electrode EL2 is within a range from around 5 mm to around 25 mm.
  • the value of the item (3) i.e., the distance d1 from the object plane P0 to the origin Oe of the spheroidal surface of the mesh M.
  • the value of the item (3) i.e., the distance d1 from the object plane P0 to the origin Oe of the spheroidal surface of the mesh M is within a range from around 10 mm to around 25 mm.
  • a voltage applied to the first electrode EL1 is 0V
  • a voltage applied to the second electrode EL2 ranges from around -100V to around -550V
  • a voltage applied to the third electrode EL3 ranges from around -550V to around -950V.
  • each of the foregoing values of the four items are adjusted in accordance with energy and an acceptance angle of the beam, thereby correcting the spherical aberration so that the acceptance angle is within ⁇ 60°.
  • each of the foregoing values of the four items suitably varies in accordance with the number of electrodes provided on the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens and energy of the beam emitted from the sample. In case where the energy of the beam varies after the adjustment, the voltage applied to each electrode is varied relative to the energy of the beam.
  • the shape of the mesh M is constituted of the spheroidal surface whose central axis coincides with the optical axis in the present embodiment.
  • the shape of the mesh M may be constituted of a spherical surface whose central axis coincides with the optical axis (hereinafter, this is referred to as "spherical mesh").
  • Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view illustrating a spherical aberration correction decelerating lens including a mesh constituted of a spherical surface whose central axis coincides with the optical axis.
  • Fig. 7 illustrates essential portions of the mesh constituted of a spherical surface whose central axis coincides with the optical axis of the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of Fig. 6 .
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens including the spherical mesh is provided with three electrodes, i.e., the first electrode EL1, the second electrode EL2, and the third electrode EL3, and converges a beam which is incident thereon with a divergence angle of ⁇ 30° onto the image plane P1.
  • the following describes the values of the items (2) to (4) for converging the beam which is incident thereon with a divergence angle of ⁇ 30° onto the image plane P1 in the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens configured in the foregoing manner.
  • the beam is decelerated down to around 112eV at the exit of the lens.
  • the spherical aberration is corrected over the acceptance angle of ⁇ 30°.
  • the spherical surface whose central axis coincides with the optical axis is used as the mesh M in this manner, it is impossible to more effectively correct the spherical aberration than the case of using the spheroidal surface, but it is easy to process the lens. This is advantageous in the cost.
  • a beam whose divergence angle is large it is possible to allow a beam whose divergence angle is large to be incident thereon by using the spherical mesh.
  • This can be realized by a configuration in which a plurality of spherical meshes different from each other in a radius are sequentially arranged with predetermined intervals from the object plane P0.
  • the following describes the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens configured so that two spherical meshes are provided.
  • FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view illustrating the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens including two spherical meshes, i.e., an internal spherical mesh S1 and an external spherical mesh S2.
  • Fig. 9 illustrates essential portions of the two spherical meshes, i.e., the internal spherical mesh S1 and the external spherical mesh S2 of Fig. 8 .
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens including the two spherical meshes is configured so that the internal spherical mesh S1 having a small radius is positioned closer to the object plane P0 and the external spherical mesh S2 having a larger radius than that of the internal spherical mesh S1 is placed closer to the image plane P1.
  • the internal spherical mesh S 1 is grounded so as to have an earth potential, and a voltage of -990V is applied to the external spherical mesh S2.
  • a ratio of a radius r1 of the internal spherical mesh S1 and a radius r2 of the external spherical mesh S2, i.e., r2/r1 is 5.55
  • a ratio of the distance d from the object plane P0 to the origin Os of the internal spherical mesh S1 and the radius r1 of the internal spherical mesh S1, i.e., d/r1 is 0.511.
  • the correction of the spherical aberration in the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens greatly relates to the ratio of the radius r1 of the internal spherical mesh S1 and the radius r2 of the external spherical mesh S2, i.e., r2/r1, and the ratio of the distance d from the object plane P0 to the origin Os of the internal spherical mesh S1 and the radius r1 of the internal spherical mesh S1, i.e., d/r1.
  • r2/r1 and d/r1 depend on (i) a beam acceptance angle of the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens and (ii) a ratio of energy Ef of a beam finally outputted from the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens and energy Ei of the beam outputted from the object plane P0, Ef/Ei (i.e., depend on a deceleration ratio).
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens illustrated in Fig. 8 its acceptance angle is set to ⁇ 50° and the deceleration ratio Ef/Ei is set to 0.01. As the acceptance angle is smaller, the spherical aberration is smaller, which results in a wider favorable range of d/r1. Adversely, if the acceptance angle is set large such as around ⁇ 50°, the spherical aberration is larger and a distance between the object plane P0 and the internal spherical mesh S1 is geometrically limited to a small distance. Thus, the beam emitted from the sample is more vertically incident on the internal spherical mesh S1, so that the beam is hardly bent.
  • the deceleration ratio ranges from around 0.1 to around 0.01 and r2/r1 ranges from around 4 to around 6 and d/r1 ranges from around 0.4 to around 0.6.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens including the two spherical meshes i.e., the internal spherical mesh S1 and the external spherical mesh S2 forms a spherically symmetric field as illustrated in Fig. 8 , thereby increasing the acceptance angle of the beam emitted from the sample up to around ⁇ 50°.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens including the two spherical meshes when a beam emitted from the sample and having energy of 1keV is incident thereon, the beam is decelerated down to 10eV at the exit of the lens.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens can greatly decelerate the beam emitted from the sample.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens including the two spherical meshes is favorably used.
  • the first electrode EL1 or the internal spherical mesh S1 is grounded so as to have an earth potential, but is not limited to this configuration. That is, the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens may be configured so that voltages equal to a voltage applied to the sample placed on the object plane P0 are respectively added to voltages applied to the first electrode EL1 to the n-th electrode ELn or the internal spherical mesh S1 and the external spherical mesh S2. Note that, the voltage is applied to the sample placed on the object plane P0 by connecting the sample to the external power supply via a conducting wire or the like.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of Fig. 2(a) is configured so that the distance from the object plane P0 to the image plane P1 is 500 mm and energy of the beam emitted from the sample is 1keV, the voltage applied to the first electrode EL1 is 0V, the voltage applied to the second electrode EL2 is around -443.96V, and the voltage applied to the third electrode EL3 is around -819.82V as described above.
  • the voltage applied to the third electrode EL3 is 0V
  • a shield 16 so as to surround the sample with the mesh M as illustrated in Fig. 22 .
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens includes the shield 16 for keeping a potential of a peripheral portion of the sample constant.
  • the shield 16 is made of thin plate such as stainless or the like.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens may be configured so that a voltage lower than the voltage applied to the first electrode EL1 or the internal spherical mesh S1 is applied to the sample placed on the object plane P0.
  • the voltage applied to the sample is made negative, and in case where the voltage applied to the first electrode EL1 or the internal spherical mesh S1 is positive, the voltage applied to the sample is set to 0V.
  • the voltage applied to the sample is not limited to the foregoing examples as long as the voltage applied to the sample is lower than the voltage applied to the first electrode EL1 or the internal spherical mesh S1. It does not matter whether the voltage is positive or negative.
  • voltages applied to the sample and the first electrode EL1 or the internal spherical are different from each other, so that energy of the beam emitted from the sample varies before being incident on the mesh M or the internal spherical mesh S1.
  • the voltages applied to the first electrode EL1 to the n-th electrode ELn or the internal spherical mesh S1 and the external spherical mesh S2 are determined as follows.
  • the voltages applied to the second electrode EL2 to the n-th electrode ELn or the external spherical mesh S2 are set so that the beam whose energy has varied is converged onto the image plane P1 in case where the voltage applied to the first electrode EL1 or the internal spherical mesh S1 is 0V.
  • the thus set voltage is regarded as a reference voltage.
  • each of the voltages applied to the first electrode EL1 or the internal spherical mesh S1 is obtained by adding a predetermined voltage to 0V
  • a voltage equal to the added voltage applied to the first electrode EL1 or the internal spherical mesh S1 is added also to each of the reference voltages applied to the second electrode EL2 to the n-th electrode ELn or the external spherical mesh S2.
  • the voltages added to the voltages applied to the second electrode EL2 to the n-th electrode ELn or the internal spherical mesh S2 are not necessarily the same voltages as the voltages added to the voltage applied to the first electrode EL1 or the internal spherical mesh S1 and may be different from each other. However, in the first electrode EL1 to the n-th electrode ELn or the internal spherical mesh S1 and the external spherical mesh S2, it is necessary to adjust the voltage added to the voltage applied to each electrode so that the beam emitted from the sample is converged onto the image plane P1.
  • a voltage lower than the voltage applied to the first electrode EL1 or the internal spherical mesh S1 is applied to the sample placed on the object plane P0, so that the beam emitted from the sample is accelerated between the object plane P0 and the mesh M or the internal spherical mesh S 1.
  • the divergence angle of the beam becomes small and the incident angle at which the beam is incident on the mesh M or the internal spherical mesh S1 becomes small, so that it is possible to easily converge the beam onto the image plane P1. That is, the foregoing configuration makes it possible for the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens to accept a beam having a large divergence angle.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens corrects a spherical aberration occurring in an electron beam or an ion beam (hereinafter, referred to as "beam") emitted from an object plane P0 with a certain divergence angle.
  • beam an ion beam
  • each electrode by applying an intentionally set voltage from the external power supply to each of the first electrode EL1 to the n-th electrode ELn each of which is constituted of a surface of a solid of revolution whose central axis coincides with the optical axis, it is possible to allow each electrode to decelerate the beam emitted from the object plane P0 and to form the decelerating convergence field for correcting the spherical aberration occurring in the beam. This makes it possible to decelerate the beam with the decelerating convergence field formed by each electrode even in case where a high energy beam is emitted from the object plane P1.
  • the mesh M which has a concaved shape opposite to the object plane P0 and which is constituted of a surface of a solid of revolution whose central axis coincides with the optical axis, it is possible to realize a larger acceptance angle.
  • a beam having high energy and a large divergence angle is made incident on the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention and is converged on the image plane and then is subsequently made incident on a lens provided on a subsequent stage, it is possible to converge the beam onto an image plane of the subsequent stage lens without applying a high voltage to an electrode of the subsequent stage lens.
  • an electron lens is accompanied by a positive spherical aberration regardless of whether the electron lens is an electrostatic type or a magnetic field type.
  • a beam emitted from a certain point of the object plane forms an image in a position closer to the object plane as its aperture angle with respect to the electron lens is larger.
  • the acceptance angle in the electron lens is larger, the image is more blurred.
  • FIG. 10(a) and Fig. 10(b) are diagram considering a lens system including two lenses, i.e., a previous stage lens and a subsequent stage lens. In this diagram, only the subsequent stage lens is illustrated.
  • Fig. 10(a) and Fig. 10(b) are diagram considering a lens system including two lenses, i.e., a previous stage lens and a subsequent stage lens. In this diagram, only the subsequent stage lens is illustrated.
  • FIG. 10(a) is a cross sectional view illustrating electron trajectories in case where a beam having a divergence angle of ⁇ 12° is incident on the subsequent stage lens in the lens system including two lenses, i.e., the previous stage lens and the subsequent stage lens.
  • Fig. 10(b) is a cross sectional view illustrating electron trajectories calculated so that the beam is converged onto a single point on an image plane P2 of the subsequent stage lens. Note that, the incident energy of the beam is 1keV.
  • the electron lens of Fig. 10(a) is configured so that the beam emitted from the sample is converged onto an image plane P1 of the previous stage lens.
  • an image on the image plane P2 of the subsequent stage lens is more blurred due to a positive spherical aberration occurring in the subsequent stage lens. If the divergence angle of the beam which is incident on the electron lens is over around ⁇ 10° in this manner, the spherical aberration in the image plane P2 of the subsequent stage lens is conspicuous.
  • the electron lens of Fig. 10(b) is configured so that the beam emitted from the sample is not converged onto the image plane P1 of the previous stage lens and a negative spherical aberration is given so as to cancel a positive spherical aberration occurring in the subsequent stage lens, thereby converging the beam onto the image plane P2 of the subsequent stage lens. That is, in the lens system including two lenses, i.e., the previous stage lens and the subsequent stage lens, an appropriate negative spherical aberration is given when the beam is incident on the previous stage lens so as to cancel the positive spherical aberration occurring in the subsequent stage lens.
  • the spherical aberration correction lens of the present invention is based on such concept.
  • Fig. 11 is a cross sectional view schematically illustrating a spherical aberration correction lens system of Example 1. Note that, a curve in this figure indicates trajectories of a beam emitted from an object plane.
  • the spherical aberration correction lens system of Example 1 includes a first lens E1 and a second lens E2.
  • the first lens E1 is constituted of the aforementioned spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens at least one of (i) a ratio of a major axis to a minor axis in the mesh M, (ii) a voltage applied to each electrode, (iii) a distance from an object plane P0 to the mesh M, and (iv) a length of each electrode is adjusted so that a negative spherical aberration occurs in an image plane P1.
  • the second lens E2 is constituted of at least one electron lens. In this electron lens, a positive spherical aberration occurs. Note that, for simplification of descriptions, the following describes a configuration in which a single electron lens is used as the second lens E2. Either an electrostatic type electron lens or a magnetic field type electron lens may be used as the second lens E2. In case where the second lens E2 is constituted of a plurality of electron lenses, a combination of the electrostatic type and the magnetic field type may be used.
  • Fig. 12 is a graph illustrating a relationship between an incident angle of a beam and a spherical aberration in case where the ratio ⁇ of a major axis to a minor axis in the mesh M is 1.44, in case of 1.47, in case of 1.50, in case of 1.53, and in case of 1.56.
  • Fig. 12 is a graph illustrating a relationship between an incident angle of a beam and a spherical aberration in case where the ratio ⁇ of a major axis to a minor axis in the mesh M is 1.44, in case of 1.47, in case of 1.50, in case of 1.53, and in case of 1.56.
  • FIG. 13 is a graph illustrating a relationship between an incident angle of a beam and a spherical aberration in case where a voltage V 2 applied to the second electrode EL2 is -490V, in case of -460V, in case of -443V, in case of -430V, and in case of -400V.
  • the ratio ⁇ of a major axis to a minor axis in the mesh M is 1.53 and in case of 1.56, the negative spherical aberration is larger as the incident angle of the beam which is incident on the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens is larger.
  • the spherical aberration greatly varies with increase of the incident angle in the case where the ratio ⁇ of a major axis to a minor axis in the mesh M is 1.56.
  • the ratio ⁇ of a major axis to a minor axis in the mesh M is 1.44 and in case of 1.47, the positive spherical aberration is larger as the incident angle of the beam which is incident on the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens is larger.
  • the spherical aberration greatly varies with increase of the incident angle in the case where the ratio ⁇ of a major axis to a minor axis in the mesh M is 1.44.
  • the spherical aberration is substantially constant regardless of the incident angle of the beam.
  • the ratio ⁇ of a major axis to a minor axis in the mesh M is 1.50 ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ 1.56, such a negative spherical aberration that 0 ⁇ rs / R ⁇ 0.15 occurs on the image plane P1.
  • rs represents a spherical aberration and "R” represents a radius of the lens.
  • the negative spherical aberration is larger as the incident angle of the beam which is incident on the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens is larger. Note that, compared with the case where the voltage V 2 applied to the second electrode EL2 is -430V, the spherical aberration greatly varies with increase of the incident angle in the case where the voltage V 2 applied to the second electrode EL2 is -400V.
  • the positive spherical aberration is larger as the incident angle of the beam which is incident on the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens is larger.
  • the spherical aberration greatly varies with increase of the incident angle in the case where the voltage V 2 applied to the second electrode EL2 is -490V.
  • the spherical aberration is substantially constant regardless of the incident angle of the beam.
  • At least one of (a) the ratio of a major axis to a minor axis in the mesh M, (b) the voltage V 2 applied to the second electrode EL2, (c) the distance from the object plane P0 to the mesh M, and (d) the length of each electrode is adjusted, so that it is possible to generate a negative spherical aberration on the image plane P1.
  • At least one of (a) the ratio of a major axis to a minor axis in the mesh M, (b) the voltage V 2 applied to the second electrode EL2, (c) the distance from the object plane P0 to the mesh M, and (d) the length of each electrode is suitably adjusted in accordance with a positive spherical aberration occurring in the second lens E2, thereby substantially canceling the spherical aberration on the image plane 2 of the second lens E2.
  • Fig. 14(a) is a cross sectional view illustrating in more detail the configuration of the spherical aberration correction lens system of Example 1.
  • Fig. 14(b) is a graph illustrating a relationship between an incident angle of a beam and a spherical aberration on the image plane P1 of the first lens E1 and a relationship between an incident angle of a beam and a spherical aberration on the image plane P2 of the second lens E2.
  • the positive spherical aberration occurring in the second lens E2 is larger as the incident angle of the beam which is incident on the first lens E1 is larger.
  • the negative spherical aberration occurring on the image plane P1 and the positive spherical aberration occurring in the second lens E2 cancel each other regardless of the incident angle of the beam which is incident on the first lens E1, thereby substantially eliminating the spherical aberration.
  • any number of electrodes may be provided on the first lens E1 as long as at least three electrodes are provided, and the number of the electrodes may be altered in accordance with the design of the spherical aberration correction lens system.
  • the spherical aberration correction lens system of Example 1 it is possible to completely correct a spherical aberration by finely adjusting the shape of the mesh in accordance with Equation 1 or Equation 2 for example.
  • a potential difference between (A) a member provided on a periphery of each of the n-th electrode ELn and the second lens E2 and (B) an electrode constituting the second lens E2 is smaller, so that discharge is suppressed.
  • discharge is less likely to occur than the case where a voltage greatly different from 0V is applied to the n-th electrode Eln and where thereby a potential difference between (A) a member provided on a periphery of each of the n-th electrode ELn and the second lens E2 and (B) an electrode constituting the second lens E2 is large and discharge is likely to occur. Therefore, there is small restriction in a configuration and an arrangement of members such as electrodes and the like. This makes it possible to achieve advantageous design in performances, a size, and the like of the system. Further, it is possible to converge a beam having higher energy by suppressing discharge, so that an analyzable energy range increases.
  • Fig. 15(a) is a cross sectional view schematically illustrating a spherical aberration correction lens system of Example 2.
  • Fig. 15(b) is a graph illustrating a relationship between an incident angle of a beam and a spherical aberration on the image plane P1 of the first lens E1 and a relationship between an incident angle of a beam and a spherical aberration on the image plane P2 of the second lens E2 in the spherical aberration correction system of Example 2. Note that, a continuous curve in this figure indicates trajectories of a beam emitted from an object plane.
  • the spherical aberration correction lens system of Example 2 includes a first lens E1 and a second lens E2.
  • the spherical aberration correction lens system of Example 2 is different from the spherical aberration correction lens system of Example 1 in that the first lens E1 is constituted of an einzel-type electron lens.
  • the einzel-type lens an electron lens of Fig. 20 whose acceptance angle is ⁇ 50° and an electron lens of Fig. 21 whose acceptance angle is ⁇ 60° are favorably used. Note that, in Fig. 15(a) , the electron lens whose acceptance angle is ⁇ 50° is used.
  • the spherical aberration correction lens system of Example 1 by adjusting at least one of (a) the ratio of a major axis to a minor axis in the mesh M, (b) the voltage V applied to each electrode, (c) the distance from the object plane P0 to the mesh M, and (d) the length of each electrode, it is possible to generate a negative spherical aberration on the image plane P1 as illustrated in Fig. 15(b) . Further, this negative spherical aberration and a positive spherical aberration occurring in the second lens E2 cancel each other, so that it is possible to substantially eliminate the spherical aberration on the image plane P2 of the second lens E2. Note that, also in the spherical aberration correction lens system of Example 2, it is possible to completely correct a spherical aberration by finely adjusting the shape of the mesh in accordance with Equation 1 or Equation 2 for example.
  • the spherical aberration correction lens system of Example 2 may be arranged so that the positive spherical aberration occurring in the first lens E1 is cancelled by generating the negative spherical aberration in the second lens E2.
  • FIG. 16 is a cross sectional view schematically illustrating the spherical aberration correction lens system of Example 3. Note that, a curve in this figure indicates trajectories of a beam emitted from an object plane.
  • the spherical aberration correction lens system of Example 3 includes a first lens E1 and a second lens E2.
  • the spherical aberration correction lens system of the present Example is different from the spherical aberration correction lens system of Example 1 in an order in which the first lens E1 and the second lens E2 are arranged. That is, the first lens E1 is constituted of at least one electron lens, and the second lens E2 is constituted of the aforementioned spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention.
  • the first lens E1 is configured so as to be capable of accepting the beam emitted from the sample with a large divergence angle, e.g., so as to be capable of accelerating the beam emitted from the sample and allowing the accelerated beam to be incident on an objective lens, thereby accepting the beam with a large divergence angle of around ⁇ 60°.
  • first lens E1 a single electron lens is used as the first lens E1.
  • electrostatic type electron lens or a magnetic field type electron lens may be used as the first lens E1.
  • first lens E1 is constituted of a plurality of electron lenses, a combination of the electrostatic type and the magnetic field type may be used.
  • a positive spherical aberration occurring in the first lens E1 is larger as a divergence angle of the beam emitted from the sample is larger.
  • a divergence angle of the beam which is incident on the second lens E2 is larger.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens is used as the second lens E2 of Example 3, so that the acceptance angle can be within ⁇ 60°.
  • the beam can be incident on the second lens E2.
  • Example 3 as in the spherical aberration correction lens system of Example 1, at least one of (a) the ratio of a major axis to a minor axis in the mesh M, (b) the voltage V applied to each electrode of the second lens E2, (c) the distance from the object plane P0 to the mesh M, and (d) the length of each electrode of the second lens E2 is adjusted so that a negative spherical aberration occurring in the second lens E2 cancels a large positive spherical aberration occurring in the first lens E1.
  • This makes it possible to form a real image obtained by canceling the spherical aberration on the image plane P2 of the second lens E2 as illustrated in Fig. 16 .
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention is used as the second lens E2, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. That is, an electron lens accompanied by a negative spherical aberration (e.g., a multipolar lens) may be used as the second lens E2. In this case, it is preferable that an electron lens of the present invention and generating a positive spherical aberration is used as the first lens E1. This makes it possible to accept a beam emitted from the object plane P0 so that an acceptance range is within ⁇ 60°.
  • a negative spherical aberration e.g., a multipolar lens
  • an appropriate positive spherical aberration is given to the first lens E1 so as to correct a negative spherical aberration occurring in the second lens E2, so that the positive spherical aberration occurring in the first lens E1 is cancelled on the image plane P2 of the second lens E2.
  • the spherical aberration correction lens system of the present embodiment comprises: a first lens E1 for forming a real image having a positive or negative spherical aberration in response to a beam emitted from an object plane P0 with a certain divergence angle; and a second lens E2, provided at a subsequent stage of the first lens E1 so as to be positioned on the same axis as an optical axis of the first lens E1, for canceling the positive or negative spherical aberration occurring in the first lens E1, wherein the first lens E1 or the second lens E2 includes the mesh which has a concaved shape opposite to an object plane P0 and which is constituted of a surface of a solid of revolution so that a central axis of the concaved shape coincides with the optical axis, and an acceptance angle of the beam is within ⁇ 60°.
  • the spherical aberration correction lens system of the present embodiment can cancel the spherical aberration between a plurality of lenses, i.e., the first lens E1 provided at the previous stage and the second lens E2 provided at the subsequent stage.
  • FIG. 17 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the electron spectrometer of the present invention.
  • the electron spectrometer of the present embodiment includes an input lens 2, a spherical mirror analyzer 3, an aperture 4, a micro channel plate (MCP) 5, and a screen 6.
  • the electron spectrometer of the present embodiment is characterized in that the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens or the spherical aberration correction lens system of the present invention is used as the input lens 2.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention is used as the input lens 2.
  • a light emission member 7 emits light such as ultraviolet ray, x ray, and the like or electron beam to a sample (specimen) placed opposite to the mesh M of the input lens 2. Electrons emitted from a surface of the sample as a result of emission of the light or the electron beam is decelerated and converged by the input lens 2 and is incident on the spherical mirror analyzer 3. The electrons which are incident on the spherical analyzer 3 are sorted in view of energy by the aperture 4 provided at the exit of the spherical analyzer 3, and then the electrons are multiplied by the micro channel plate 5 and projected onto a screen.
  • light emission member 7 emits light such as ultraviolet ray, x ray, and the like or electron beam to a sample (specimen) placed opposite to the mesh M of the input lens 2. Electrons emitted from a surface of the sample as a result of emission of the light or the electron beam is decelerated and converged by the input lens 2 and is incident on the
  • a lens or an aperture for adjusting energy resolution ability may be provided around an entrance of the spherical mirror analyzer 3.
  • the spherical mirror analyzer 3 is used in the present embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration and an electrostatic hemispherical analyzer, a cylindrical mirror analyzer, or the like may be used.
  • the spherical mirror analyzer 3 is different from the electrostatic hemispherical analyzer, the cylindrical mirror analyzer, or the like in that the spherical mirror analyzer 3 is free from any aperture aberration and is capable of giving substantially the same energy resolution ability as the electrostatic hemispherical analyzer over an acceptance angle of around ⁇ 20°.
  • a high energy beam can be accepted with a large acceptance angle of around ⁇ 60° and can be converged after decelerating. This makes it possible to enhance sensitivity, function, and energy resolution ability of the electron spectrometer.
  • Fig. 18 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the photoelectron microscope according to the present invention.
  • the photoelectron microscope 10 of the present embodiment includes an objective lens 11, a first lens system 12, an energy analyzer 13, a second lens system 14, and a detector 15.
  • the photoelectron microscope 10 is characterized in that the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention or the spherical aberration correction lens system of the present invention is used as the objective lens 11.
  • a light emission member 7 emits light such as ultraviolet ray, x ray, and the like or electron beam to a sample (specimen) placed opposite to the mesh M of the objective lens 11. Electrons emitted from a surface of the sample as a result of emission of the light or the electron beam is converged by the objective lens 11 and is incident on the detector 15 via the first lens system 12, the energy analyzer 13, and the second lens system 14.
  • an imaging mode or an angle-resolved mode (diffraction mode) is switched, energy resolution is adjusted, an image is enlarged, or a similar operation is performed.
  • the imaging mode not only an enlarged image of a real space but also a spectrum of electrons emitted from a specific region of the sample can be obtained by altering the energy of electrons to be selected and measuring the number of the electrons with the detector 15.
  • the angle-resolved mode it is possible to measure angular distribution of emitted electrons over an extremely large emission angle by single measurement.
  • the energy analyzer 13 is provided in the present embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration and it may be so configured that the energy analyzer 13 is not provided. Further, one of the electrostatic hemisphere analyzer, the spherical mirror analyzer, the cylindrical mirror analyzer, and the like can be freely selected as the energy analyzer 13 in accordance with a purpose.
  • the objective lens 11 it is preferable to design the objective lens 11 in consideration for a combination with other components, performances and the like required in the photoelectron microscope 10. Further, in case of allowing the electrons emitted from the objective lens 11 to be incident on a subsequent stage lens or an analyzer accompanied by an aperture aberration or a similar member, it is preferable to design the system so as to correct also the aberration.
  • a spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention corrects a spherical aberration occurring in an electron beam or an ion beam (hereinafter, referred to as "beam") emitted from a predetermined object plane position with a certain aperture angle as defined in claim 1.
  • the decelerating convergence field formed by each electrode can decelerate the beam even when a high energy beam is emitted from the object plane.
  • the mesh which has a concaved shape opposite to an object plane and which is constituted of a surface of a solid of revolution so that a central axis of the concaved shape coincides with the optical axis, it is possible to achieve a large acceptance angle.
  • a beam having high energy and a large divergence angle is made incident on the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention and the beam converged onto the image plane is sequentially made incident on the lens provided at the subsequent stage, the beam can be converged onto the image plane of the subsequent stage lens without applying a high voltage to the electrode of the subsequent stage lens.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention is applied to an electron spectrometer or a photoelectron microscope, a beam having high energy and a large aperture angle can be made incident thereon. This makes it possible to greatly enhance sensitivities and functions of the electron spectrometer and the photoelectron microscope.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention may be arranged so that the spherical aberration occurring in the beam is corrected by adjusting at least one of (a) a ratio of a major axis to a minor axis in the mesh, (b) a length of each electrode, (c) a distance from the predetermined object plane position to the mesh, and (d) a voltage applied to said each electrode.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention may be arranged so that (a) a ratio of a major axis to a minor axis in the mesh, (b) a length of each electrode, (c) a distance from the predetermined object plane position to the mesh, and (d) a voltage applied to said each electrode are set so that an acceptance angle of the beam is within ⁇ 60°.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention is applied to an electron spectrometer or a photoelectron microscope, a beam having high energy and a large divergence angle can be made incident thereon. This makes it possible to greatly enhance sensitivities and functions of the electron spectrometer and the photoelectron microscope.
  • the limit of the beam acceptance angle is around ⁇ 30°.
  • the shape of the mesh is constituted of the spheroidal surface whose central axis coincides with the optical axis, thereby increasing the beam acceptance angle to ⁇ 60° compared with the examplary case where the shape of the mesh is constituted of a spherical surface.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention is applied to an electron spectrometer or a photoelectron microscope, a beam having high energy and a large aperture angle can be made incident thereon. This makes it possible to greatly enhance sensitivities and functions of the electron spectrometer and the photoelectron microscope.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention may be arranged so that a length of a first electrode provided adjacent to the mesh so as to be positioned on a side of an image plane is within a range from around 1 mm to around 10 mm, and a length of a second electrode provided adjacent to the first electrode so as to be positioned on the side of the image plane is within a range from around 5 mm to around 25 mm, when the foregoing conditions (i), (ii), and (iii) are satisfied.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention may be arranged so that a distance from the object plane to an origin of a spheroidal surface is within a range from around 10 mm to around 25 mm, when the foregoing conditions (i), (ii), and (iii) are satisfied.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention is arranged so that a voltage applied to the mesh is 0V, a voltage applied to the first electrode is 0V, a voltage applied to the second electrode is within a range from around -100V to around -550V, and a voltage applied to a third electrode provided adjacent to the second electrode so as to be positioned on the side of the image plane is within a range from around -550V to around -950V, when energy of the beam is 1keV.
  • At least one of (a) the ratio of a major axis to a minor axis in the mesh, (b) the length of each electrode, (c) the distance from the predetermined object plane position to the mesh, and (d) the voltage applied to each electrode is adjusted in a favorable range, thereby accepting the beam emitted from the object plane so that an acceptance angle of the beam is within a range of ⁇ 50°.
  • a spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of an example merely useful for understanding the present invention may be arranged so that the meshes are constituted of at least two surfaces of solids of revolution, having radii different from each other, whose central axes coincide with the optical axis, and (A) a ratio of the radii of the meshes, (B) a ratio of energy of the beam in its entrance and energy of the beam in its exit, and (C) a ratio of a distance from the object plane to a center of an internal spherical mesh which faces the object plane out of the meshes are set so that an acceptance angle of the beam is within a range from ⁇ 0° to ⁇ 50°.
  • the meshes are constituted of at least two surfaces of solids of revolution, having radii different from each other, whose central axes coincide with the optical axis, (A) a ratio of the radii of the meshes, (B) a ratio of energy of the beam in its entrance and energy of the beam in its exit, and (C) a ratio of a distance from the object plane to a center of an internal spherical mesh which faces the object plane out of the meshes are adjusted, thereby accepting the beam emitted from the object plane so that an acceptance angle of the beam is within a range from ⁇ 0° to ⁇ 50°.
  • This allows the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens to decelerate and converge the beam whose aperture angle is up to around ⁇ 50°.
  • a beam having high energy and a large aperture angle can be made incident thereon. This makes it possible to greatly enhance sensitivities and functions of the electron spectrometer and the photoelectron microscope.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens may be arranged so that each of the meshes is a spherical surface whose central axis coincides with the optical axis.
  • the limit of the beam acceptance angle is around ⁇ 30°.
  • the meshes constituted of at least two surfaces of solids of revolution, having radii different from each other, whose central axes coincide with the optical axis, and a ratio of the radii of the meshes is set so that an acceptance angle of the beam is within a range from ⁇ 0° to ⁇ 50°, so that the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens forms a spherically symmetric field. This makes it possible to increase the acceptance angle to around ⁇ 50°.
  • each of the meshes is constituted of a spherical surface whose central axis coincides with the optical axis, it is easier to process the meshes than the case where each of the meshes is constituted of the spheroidal surface whose central axis coincides with the optical axis. This is advantageous in view of the cost.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention may be arranged so that a voltage equal to a voltage applied to the sample placed on the predetermined object plane is added to the voltage applied to each electrode.
  • the beam emitted from the sample can be converged onto the image plane. Also, by adjusting the voltage applied to the sample, it is possible to freely adjust the voltage applied to each electrode.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention may be arranged so that a voltage lower than a voltage applied to the mesh is applied to the sample placed on the predetermined object plane.
  • a voltage lower than the voltage applied to the mesh is applied to the sample placed on the predetermined object plane, so that the beam emitted from the sample is accelerated between the predetermined object plane and the mesh.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention can accept a beam having a larger divergence angle.
  • a spherical aberration correction lens system of the present invention is defined in claim 9.
  • an electron lens is accompanied by a positive spherical aberration regardless of whether the electron lens is an electrostatic type or a magnetic field type.
  • a resultant image is formed at a position closer to the object plane. Therefore, as the electron lens has a larger acceptance angle, the resultant image is more blurred.
  • a lens bringing about a negative spherical aberration is used as the other lens to appropriately give the negative spherical aberration so that the lens cancels the positive spherical aberration of the electron lens. Therefore, as to the beams emitted from the object plane, the spherical aberration is cancelled at the image plane of the second lens.
  • the positive or negative spherical aberration is cancelled by the second lens disposed at the subsequent stage of the first lens so as to be positioned on the same axis as the optical axis of the first lens.
  • the first lens can accept the beam emitted from the object plane so that an acceptance angle is within ⁇ 60°. Also, by giving an appropriate negative spherical aberration in the first lens so as to correct the positive spherical aberration occurring in the second lens, it is possible to cancel the spherical aberration on the image plane of the second lens.
  • the second lens can accept the beam so that an acceptable angle is within ⁇ 60°. This allows the beam having a large positive spherical aberration occurring in the first lens to be incident on the second lens.
  • the first lens in case of using as the first lens a lens having a mesh and bringing about a positive spherical aberration and using as the second lens as a lens accompanied by a negative spherical aberration (e.g., a multipolar lens), the first lens can accept the beam emitted from the object plane so that an acceptance angle of the beam is within ⁇ 60°. Also, by giving an appropriate positive spherical aberration in the first lens so as to correct a negative spherical aberration occurring in the second lens, it is possible to cancel, on the image plane of the second lens, the negative spherical aberration occurring in the first lens.
  • the spherical aberration correction lens system of the present invention can cancel, on the image plane of the subsequent stage lens, the spherical aberration of the beam emitted from the object plane.
  • a space resolution ability can be enhanced compared with the case where the spherical aberration is corrected by using only the previous stage lens.
  • the spherical aberration correction lens system of the present invention is arranged so that one of the first lens and the second lens which includes the mesh is the aforementioned spherical aberration correction decelerating lens of the present invention.
  • An electron spectrometer of the present invention includes the aforementioned spherical aberration correction decelerating lens or the aforementioned spherical aberration correction lens system of the present invention.
  • a photoelectron microscope of the present invention includes the aforementioned spherical aberration correction decelerating lens or the aforementioned spherical aberration correction lens system of the present invention.
  • the spherical aberration correction decelerating lens and the spherical aberration correction lens system of the present invention can substantially eliminate a spherical aberration, so that they can be favorably used as an input lens of an electron spectrometer and an objective lens of a photoelectron microscope.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Analysing Materials By The Use Of Radiation (AREA)
EP07791379.6A 2006-07-26 2007-07-26 Spherical aberration correction decelerating lens, spherical aberration correction lens system, electron spectroscopy device, and photoelectron microscope Ceased EP2058834B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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JP2006203318 2006-07-26
PCT/JP2007/064679 WO2008013232A1 (en) 2006-07-26 2007-07-26 Spherical aberration correction moderating type lens, spherical aberration correction lens system, electron spectroscopy device, and optical electron microscope

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EP2058834A1 EP2058834A1 (en) 2009-05-13
EP2058834A4 EP2058834A4 (en) 2011-05-18
EP2058834B1 true EP2058834B1 (en) 2015-12-09

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EP (1) EP2058834B1 (ja)
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WO (1) WO2008013232A1 (ja)

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US8933425B1 (en) 2011-11-02 2015-01-13 Kla-Tencor Corporation Apparatus and methods for aberration correction in electron beam based system
JP6027150B2 (ja) * 2014-06-24 2016-11-16 内海　孝雄 低エネルギー電子ビームリソグラフィ
WO2016171675A1 (en) * 2015-04-21 2016-10-27 Cameca Instruments, Inc. Wide field-of-view atom probe
EP3324421A4 (en) * 2015-07-15 2019-04-24 National University corporation Nara Institute of Science and Technology ELECTROSTATIC LENS, AND PARALLEL BEAM GENERATING DEVICE, AND PARALLEL BEAM CONVERGENCE DEVICE USING THE ELECTROSTATIC LENS AND A COLLIMATOR
US10916414B2 (en) 2018-01-25 2021-02-09 Ionpath, Inc. Ion beam focus adjustment
JP6910682B2 (ja) * 2018-05-09 2021-07-28 国立大学法人 奈良先端科学技術大学院大学 減速比可変球面収差補正静電レンズ、広角エネルギーアナライザ、及び、二次元電子分光装置
US10964522B2 (en) 2018-06-06 2021-03-30 Kla Corporation High resolution electron energy analyzer
JP7328477B2 (ja) * 2018-11-16 2023-08-17 株式会社北海光電子 光電子顕微鏡
JP7030089B2 (ja) * 2019-09-30 2022-03-04 日本電子株式会社 インプットレンズおよび電子分光装置
WO2021125297A1 (ja) 2019-12-17 2021-06-24 大学共同利用機関法人自然科学研究機構 球面収差調整カソードレンズ、球面収差補正静電型レンズ、電子分光装置、及び光電子顕微鏡
CN115803844A (zh) 2020-07-09 2023-03-14 大学共同利用机关法人自然科学研究机构 静电偏转会聚型能量分析仪、成像型电子光谱装置、反射成像型电子光谱装置以及自旋矢量分布成像装置

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JP3347491B2 (ja) 1994-10-12 2002-11-20 日本電子株式会社 球面収差補正静電型レンズ
DE19929185A1 (de) * 1999-06-25 2001-01-04 Staib Instr Gmbh Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur energie- und winkelaufgelösten Elektronenspektroskopie
EP1793410B1 (en) * 2004-07-15 2012-06-13 National University Corporation Nara Institute of Science and Technology Spherical aberration correction electrostatic lens, input lens, electron spectroscopic device, photoelectron microscope, and measurement system

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JPWO2008013232A1 (ja) 2009-12-17
EP2058834A1 (en) 2009-05-13
EP2058834A4 (en) 2011-05-18
US20100001202A1 (en) 2010-01-07
JP4900389B2 (ja) 2012-03-21
WO2008013232A1 (en) 2008-01-31

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